#plastic pollution
Under ‘three sugar cubes’ of plastic can kill a seabird, new study finds
A new peer-reviewed study led by Ocean Conservancy researchers offers the most comprehensive analysis to date of how plastics of various types and sizes affect seabirds, sea turtles and marine mammals.
UH grad student’s research reveals plastic pollution threats to endangered coral reefs
A University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa graduate’s new research has revealed that plastic pollution may pose an underappreciated threat to the survival of endangered coral reefs. The study, led by Keiko Wilkins, a recent PhD graduate from UH Mānoa’s Marine Biology Graduate Program, found that chemicals released from plastics disrupt two critical processes essential for […]
Mānoa: Mighty marine fungi degrade plastic, can be trained to do it faster
Plastic is the most prevalent marine pollutant, and plastic surfaces are the fastest growing habitat in the ocean. Researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa recently discovered that many species of fungi from Hawaiʻi’s nearshore environment have the ability to degrade plastic, and some can be conditioned to do it faster.
New analysis shows plastic bag bans help prevent plastic pollution
Today, Ocean Conservancy scientists have released a new analysis that shows a correlation between an increase in statewide plastic grocery bag bans and a decrease in plastic grocery bags found on beaches and waterways by Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup volunteers. Maui and Kauai County implemented plastic bag bans in 2011, followed by Hawai’i and Honolulu Counties.
World’s largest beach cleanup effort to engage over half a million volunteers
Ocean Conservancy is calling for volunteers worldwide to join the 39th annual International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), the world’s largest beach and waterway cleanup effort, launching on Sept. 21, 2024. With plastic pollution at crisis levels, ICC organizers invite everyone who loves the ocean to take action by joining a cleanup in their area.
Currents bring both debris and marine life to the Pacific Garbage Patch
Marine surface-dwelling organisms, such as jellies, snails, barnacles and crustaceans, are a critical ecological link between diverse ecosystems.
Maui Ocean Center to Provide Beach Cleanup Materials Starting June 8
In honor of World Ocean Day, the Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute announced a beach cleanup program that allows residents and visitors to Maui to take a hands-on approach to help protect marine environments and collect data.
Lawsuit Alleges Failure to Protect Hawaiian Waters From Plastic Pollution
Environmental groups sued the Environmental Protection Agency today for allegedly failing to protect 17 coastal water bodies around Hawaiʻi from what they are calling “wide-scale plastic pollution.”
Lawsuit Launched Over “Failure to Recognize Plastic Pollution” in Hawaiian Waters
The Center for Biological Diversity filed a formal notice today of its intent to sue the Environmental Protection Agency for allegedly “failing to protect Hawaiian waters contaminated by plastic pollution.”